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DD’s club team next season will have 21-23 players on the roster but only 18 will be able to dress for games. Those not dressing for a given game may be able to play with the B team that weekend.
Is this typical? What kind of team dynamics can we expect under such a system? If the same kids are left out each week my guess is they’ll eventually leave the club. If kids are trying to compete for the 18 game day slots week to week, I guess it might make for a better team — but not much team camaraderie, if your friend is also your enemy. Different amounts of playing time due to differences in ability/contribution on the field is one thing. But to be competing just to get to go to the games seems potentially destabilizing to team morale. If you’ve experienced this kind of system already, how is this likely to shake out? |
| Completely normal at U19, gets them ready for what college will begin to look like having to actually earn things. |
| So the B team is under rostered? Or do B team kids get benched at their own game? |
What's the problem here, isnt this the norm by u-16 everywhere? |
| Op, what age group? As you head into high school, this is typical not just for internal competition, but also because injuries start to multiply as bodies become bigger and stronger. DD's team has a 22 person roster and except for playoffs, I can't recall a recent game where anyone didn't dress involuntarily. |
| Our DC has rostered 17 players and the team will still playing 9v9, it’s going to be an interesting season ahead! |
| It matters what age group. Once they get to high school for a ton of reasons, why kids don’t show up for games. Private schools have soccer seasons in the fall while public schools have soccer seasons in the spring. SATs, jobs, etc. My daughter’s team has 22 players and it’s hard to even find 11 for some games. |
Wow. 17 players for u11/12 is terrible. |
Greedy club |
| Yes, big difference between doing this at U11/U12 (and even U13/U14 at 11v11), vs. at U/16 and up. |
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Injuries add up unfortunately. At the beginning of the season we would have three not dress, by the end none were necessary.
The B team option is helpful, makes kids feel like they can actively improve the situation. Honestly the biggest thing sometimes is when the coach sends out the email, ours was normally Thursday right after practice. Earlier if hotels involved. Had a friend who it was consistently Friday night for Saturday game or Saturday morning for Sunday. So much wrong about that. It's funny, that's kind of a little thing a coach can do that can make a huge difference to families and to the kids. |
These are 2012 girls, most of whom will be in eighth grade in the fall. From the responses I gather that this kind of system is common. I hear what folks are saying about injuries depleting the number of players who are physically able to be available for games. That's depressing in its own right, though no doubt reality. The person who asked about the size of the B team raises a good point. I don't know how big the B team roster is. It would be frustrating for those players as well, if top team players who don't dress come and take away playing time for them. We will just have to prepare DD for a more internally competitive environment. --OP |
Or you can just let them figure it out and grow in the process no matter the outcome |
| I had friends with kids who felt like every week was a try out to dress for the bottom half of the roster. Sounded unpleasant. |
| Do RL teams carry more than 18 once in high school? |